Women, language, and the onus

Women, it's time to stop referring to yourselves and letting others refer to us as "girls." If you are 20 or older, I've got news for you: you're a woman.

The term "girl" is diminutive and serves to keep us down. We are not children. We are adults and should be referred to as such.

I will grant you that in college you can still get by with "boys" and "girls," but I'm not talking about exceptions to the rule here. On a daily basis, people say things like, "She's a really sexy girl" (let's hope you mean "woman," or we've got a problem) or "We need more girls on the field" (really? will third graders help this team win?).

Stop it. You are referring to grown, adult women. We are not lesser individuals and do not need to accept a pint-sized moniker.

Men do no tolerate this. They don't have to. How often do you hear any man older than, say, 23 referred to as a "boy"? Yes, men have a handy non-committal term in the form of "guy," but that does not excuse this inequity.

And guess what? The onus is on us. We have to consciously use the right language and correct people when they say "girl" but mean "woman." It's up to us to own it.

It may feel awkward at first, but it's up to us to correct and educate. Don't be afraid to stand up for your adulthood.

Step up. Take a stand. One woman at a time, we can work our way toward an environment of equality.